The man who fatally shot a newlywed couple at an Elkhorn bar last year has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Thomas Routt, 58, was sentenced in Walworth County Circuit Court on September 26 on two felony counts of first-degree intentional homicide for the deaths of Emerson and Gina Weingart at the Sports Page Barr, 29½ S. Wisconsin St., on Feb. 1, 2024, online court records show. The couple had been married the previous summer. Gina Weingart was tending bar while Emerson kept her company. Routt stole less than $150 from the bar. He claimed that he believed the safety was engaged on the gun.

Routt was convicted on June 26, 2025 of six charges, including murder, attempted murder and robbery after about two hours of jury deliberation. Details regarding the trial may be found in this article from WGTD. This brief video from TMJ4 depicts the scene in court as Routt is addressed by family members of the victims and by the judge.

Previous Whitewater Banner stories on this subject may be found at the following links:

Two People Shot and Killed in Elkhorn Bar; Suspect Apparently at Large (Updated) – February 1, 2024

Arrest Made in Elkhorn Double Homicide – February 16, 2024